Closure mechanism for oven doors



Sept 10, 1957 E. s. PoLLocK 2,805,661

cLosURE MECHANISMFOR ovEN DooRs Filed May 4, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l vg+' f" 'y if?.

I l/l INVENTOR.

Sept l0, 1957 I E.l s. PoLLocK 2,805,661

CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR OVEN DOORS Filed-May 4, 195s s sheets-snee: 2

INVENTOR.

[af/ .5. Po//o c/r BY Sept l0, 1957 E. s. PoLLocK cLosuRE MECHANISM Foa ovm Dooas 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 4, 1953 2,805,661 CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR OVEN DOORS Earl S. Pollock, Mansfield, Ohio, assigner to The Tappan gloire Company, Mans'tieid, Ohio, a corporation of Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,745 Claims. (Ci. 126-194) This invention relates generally to a closure mechanism for the oven of a cooking range, and more specically to the hinge means by which an oven door is mounted upon the range in position to close the oven therein. This application is a continuation-impart of my two co pending applications Serial No. 286,141 now abandoned and Serial No. 286,144, Patent No. 2,721,547, both of which were filed on May 5, 1952.

In cooking ranges it is essential that the oven door lit tightly especially at the top as otherwise there is a substantial loss of heat which is wasteful of fuel, makes it `diii'icult to maintain the desired oven temperature, and makes it uncomfortably warm for a cook using the range. With oven door hinges now in general use it is very diiicut to mount an oven door so that it will always engage the range frame entirely around the oven. The door may fit well along one side and badly along the other side, or it may be tight along the bottom of the door and loose along the top of the door. Also with the hinges now in general use the oven door tends to open slightly at the top when the oven is in use due to the expansion of the door and/or 'frame caused by the high temperature of the oven. My improved hinge is so constructed that an oven door will automatically adjust itself to the door frame every time it is closed; and will re-adjust itself as the door and/ or frame expand and contract due to changes in temperature. Also with my improved hinge it is much easier to mount the door on the range during manufacture as it does not have to be mounted so accurately due to its self-adjusting feature.

The preferred form of my improved hinge means comprises a hinge strap which is carried by the door and a hinge bracket which is secured to the range frame. The hinge strap has an elongated slot therein which is inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the front of the range; and the hinge bracket carries a pivot pin which extends outwardly from the lower end thereof and into the slot in the strap. The hinge strap also has an arcuate arm formed integrally therewith which extends inwardly and downwardly therefrom. A tension spring which has one end thereof connected to the lower end of the arcuate arm and the other end thereof connected to the range is operative to bias the door to closed position. If desired the inclined slot may be formed in the hinge bracket and the pivot pin carried by the hinge strap. One hinge is disposed at each side of the oven door adjacent the lower end thereof so that in opening the door swings outwardly and downwardly. With this construction the door may ride upwardly and downwardly and in and out upon the pivot pin thereby allowing the door to adjust itself to the frame. The two hinges are independent of each other which enables each side of the door to adjust itself to the frame independently of the other side.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved cooking range oven door hinge means which is so constructed and arranged that an oven door will automatically adjust itself to the door frame upon each closing of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oven door hinge means which is so constructed and arranged that the necessity of accurately mounting the oven doo during manufacture is eliminated.

nited States Patent Other and more limited objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical section through a cooking range showing an oven door mounted thereon by my improved hinge means, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of my improved hinge showing component parts thereof in separated position;

Fig. 4 is a `View similar to Fig. 3 showing a slightly modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another slightly modified form of my invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 6 showing the component parts thereof in separate position; and

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 showing a slight modication of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters the numeral 1 indicates generally a cooking range having an oven 2 which is closed by an oven door 3. The range 1 has a front frame which includestwo spaced vertical sections 4 which are channel-shaped in cross section. The side walls 5 of the oven 2 are secured to the sections 4 and extend rearwardly therefrom. The vertical sections 4 are connected together by two spaced horizontal sections, the lower one of which is shown at 6 and to which the bottom of the oven is connected. The vertical sections 4 and their connecting sections form a door frame against which the door 3 vseats when in closed position. At each side of the oven 2 is a storage compartment 7, the inner walls 8 of which are also connected to the vertical sections 4 at the opposite side thereof leaving a chamber 9 between the oven 2 and each of the compartments 7. The compartments 7 are closed by side opening doors 10.

The oven door 3 comprises two rectangular cup-shaped sections 11 andk 12 having peripheral walls 13 and 14 respectively which telescope each other and are suitably secured together to provide door chamber 15 therebetween. The door chamber 15 between the sections 11 and 12 is filled with insulating material.

The oven door 3 is mounted in place by a pair of hinges, generally indicated by the numeral 16, which are disposed one at each side of the door 3 adjacent the bottom thereof. Each hinge 16 comprises a hinge strap member 17 and a hinge bracket member 18. The hinge straps 17 are secured by rivets 19 to the vertical sections of the peripheral walls 14 within the door 3. The lower ends 2t) of the straps 17 are offset inwardly from the wall 14, as indicated at 21, to provide spaces 22 between the wall 14 and the lower ends 26 of the straps 17. The lower end 20 of each of the straps 17 has an elongated slot 23 formed therein which inclines downwardly and inwardly toward the front of the range.

The brackets 18 each comprise a base 24 and an outwardly extending vertical arm 25 to which is secured a horizontally extending pivot pin 26. The bases 24 of the brackets 18 are secured by rivets 27 to the vertical frame Isections 4 within recesses 23 formed in the sections 4, so that the front faces of the bases 24 are substantially flush with the front faces of the sections 4. The arms 25 of the brackets 13 extend through slots 29 in the door 3 into the spaces 22 between the lower ends 2li of the straps 17 and the wall 14 of the door; and the pivot pins 26 carried by the arms 25 vextendinto the inclined slots 23 `in the lower ends 20 of the straps 17. The two pins 26 are disposed horizontally in axial alignment with each other adjacent the bottom of the door 3 so that in opening the door 3 will swing outwardly and downwardly.

In order to` limit the opening movement of the door i 3 I provide the straps 17 with arcuate arms 30 which extend into the chambers 9 through slots 31 and 32 in the door 3 and sections 4 respectively. The arms `30 terminate in hooks 33 which engage the rear faces ofthe frame sections 4 when the door 3 is in open position. Springs 34 which have their lower ends secured to the range and their upper ends secured to the arms 30 bias the door 3 towards closed position, yieldingly hold it in closed position and counterbalance the door during opening and closing thereof;

The slots 23 and the pins 26 are so. disposed with respect to each other that the pins 26 always engage the slots 23 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof when the door 3 is in vertical closed position. With this arrangement the slots 23 will oat back and forth upon the pins 26 during. the opening and closing of the` When the doory is in fully open position either door. end of the slots 23 may engage the `pins 26, depending upon the distribution of the weight of or on the door, but when `the door is in vertical closed position the` pins 26 are always disposed intermediate the ends of the slots 23. When the door 3 is in closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 gravity and the counterbalance springs 34 urge the door 3 downwardly, and due to the inclination ofY the` slots 23, `inwardly into tight engagement with;

the door frame.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the pivot pins 26 are carried by the lower ends 20 of the hinge straps 17, and the slots 23 are formed in the arms 25 of the hinge brackets 18. Otherwise this form of the invention is the sarne as that shown in Figs. l to 3 and functions in the same manner.

In the forms of the invention disclosed in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive I have slightly modified the hinge means shown in Figs. 1 to 5 in such a manner that the door 3 may be easily and quickly removed from the front wall 4 of the range, and replaced thereon, to facilitate the cleaning of both the oven2 and the door 3. In these forms of the invention the slots 23 are open at one end thereof. Otherwise these forms of the invention are the same as shown in Figs. l to 5 and the same reference characters have been applied to like parts.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 wherein :the pivot pin 26 is carried by the strap 17 and the inclined slot 23 isformed in the bracket 18 the upper end of the slot 23 is open as shown at 35; and in the form shown in Fig. 8 wherein the pivot pin 26 is carried by the bracket 18 and the inclined slot 23 is 'formed in the strap 17 the lower end of the slot 23 is open Vas shown at 36.

When it is desired to use the hinge means of Figs. 6 to 8 in order to removably mount the door on the range the counterbalance mechanism disclosed in my aforesaid copending `application Serial No. 286,144 is preferably, but not necessarily used.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that there can be relative movement between the pivot pin 26 and the slot 23 `of one hinge independently of the other hinge, and that suc-h movement will cause the door to automatically adjust itself to the door frame. In addition to biasing the door 3 to closed position the springs 34 in conjunction with pins 26 and slots 23 function to urge the door 3 downwardly and `inwardly against the door frame.

It is to be understood that I am not limited to the specific constructions shown and described herein as various modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a range including a cabinet, an oven therewithin having an opening at the front of the cabinet, and a door closing such opening; hinge means by which said door is secured to the front wall of the cabinet for swinging movement between a vertical closed position and a substantially horizontal open position, said hinge means comprising a strap member fixed to said door for movement with the same, an outwardly projecting `bracket member fixed to the front wall of the cabinet adjacent the oven opening therein, a pivot pin carried by one of such members, and an elongated slot in the other such member which is downwardly and inwardly inclined when the door is in its vertical closed position, said pin engaging the side walls of said slot` and being relatively movable along the length thereof, the pin and slot engagement constituting the pivotal `connectionbetween the door and the cabinet which is shiftable during opening and closing of the former by the permitted movement of the pin along the slot, the pin and slot being so disposed with respect to each other that the pin is positioned intermediate the ends of the slot when the door is closed.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivot pin is'carried by said bracket member and the slot provided in said strap member.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the slot is open at its upper and outer end.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivot pin is carried by said strap member and the slot provided in said bracket member. j

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein the slot is open at its upper and outer end.

6. In a range including a cabinet, an oven therewithin having an opening at the front of the cabinet, and a door closing such opening; hinge means `by which said door is secured to the frontwall of the cabinet for swinging movement between a vertical closed position and substantially horizontal open position, said hinge means comprising a strap member xed to said door for movement with the same, an outwardly projecting bracket member fixed to the front wallI of the cabinet adjacent the oven opening therein, a pivot pin carried by one of such members, an elongated slot inthe other such member which is downwardly and inwardly inclined when the door is in its vertical closed position, said pin engaging the side walls of said slot and being relatively movable along the length thereof, the pin and slot engagement constituting the pivotal connection between the door and the cabinet which is shiftable during opening, and closing of the former by` the permitted movement of the pin along the slot, the pin and slot being so disposed with respect to each other that the` pin is positioned intermediate the ends of the slot when the door is closed, and spring means interconnect ing the door and cabinet, said spring means being operative to urge the 4door downwardly in its vertical closed position and thereby inwardly for tight closure due to the resultant camming action. of the pin and slot.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said pivot pin is carried by said bracket member and the slot provided in said strap member.

8. The combination set forth` in claim 7 wherein the slot is open at its upper and outer end.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said pivot` pin is carried by said strap member and the slot provided in said bracket member.

l0. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein the slot is open at its upper and outer end.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,230 Packer Aug. 16, 1910 2,179,049 Moceker Nov. 7, 1939 2,401,977. Smallwood- July 11, 1946 2,416,511 Blansk Feb. 25, 1947 2,447,341 Johnson Aug. 17, 1948 2,461,902 Klein Feb. 15, 1949 2,513,414 Jones July 4, 1950 

